Testosterone and attention deficits as possible mechanisms underlying impaired emotion recognition in intimate partner violence perpetrators

Abstract

a b s t r a c tSeveral studies have reported impairments in decoding emotional facial expressions in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators. However, the mechanisms that underlie these impaired skills are not well known. Given this gap in the literature, we aimed to establish whether IPV perpetrators (n = 18) differ in their emotion decoding process, attentional skills, and testosterone (T), cortisol (C) levels and T/C ratio in comparison with controls (n = 20), and also to examine the moderating role of the group and hormonal parameters in the relationship between attention skills and the emotion decoding process. Our results demonstrated that IPV perpetrators showed poorer emotion recognition and higher attention switching costs than controls. Nonetheless, they did not differ in attention to detail and hormonal parameters. Finally, the slope predicting emotion recognition from deficits in attention switching became steeper as T levels increased, especially in IPV perpetrators, although the basal C and T/C ratios were unrelated to emotion recognition and attention deficits for both groups. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying emotion recognition deficits. These factors therefore constitute the target for future interventions. La testosterona y los déficits de atención como posibles mecanismos que subyacen a las carencias en el reconocimiento emocional de los hombres que ejercen violencia contra la mujer en las relaciones de parejaPalabras clave: Atención Cortisol Reconocimiento de emociones Testosterona Violencia de pareja r e s u m e n Diversos estudios hablan de carencias en la descodificación de expresiones emocionales faciales en aquellos sujetos que cometen violencia de pareja (VP). No obstante, no se conocen bien los mecanismos subyacentes al déficit de estas capacidades. A la vista de esta laguna en investigación, hemos intentado establecer si las personas que cometen violencia de pareja (n = 18) se diferencian en el proceso de descodificación emocional, capacidad de atención y niveles de testosterona (T), cortisol y cociente T/C, comparados con los controles (n = 20), así como analizar el papel moderador del grupo y de las variables hormonales en la relación entre capacidad de atención y proceso de descodificación emocional. Nuestros resultados han demostrado que quienes perpetran violencia de pareja muestran un peor reconocimiento emocional y mayor coste en el cambio de atención que los controles. No obstante, no había diferencias en la atención a los detalles y en las variables hormonales. Por último, la pendiente que predice el reconocimiento emocional a partir de los déficits en el cambio de atención era más pronunciada a medida que aumentaban

Improving empathy with motivational strategies in batterer intervention programmes: Results of a randomized controlled trial

“…The eyes test requires an advanced brain system (i.e., visual and emotional processing, decoding, recognition), which not only involves new ways of thinking, but also the recognition of complex emotional states (Thye, Murdaugh, & Kana, ). However, specific underlying mechanisms through which inattention deficits/distractibility influence emotion‐decoding abilities in IPV perpetrators (Romero‐Martínez et al ., ) were not specifically tested in the present study. There may be a direct association between these variables, or this association might be mediated by other factors.…”

“…The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the differences between SBIP and SBIP + Individualized Motivational Plan (IMP) in IPV perpetrators’ cognitive outcomes after ending both interventions. Based on the evidence showing that SBIP produces cognitive‐emotional changes in IPV perpetrators (Romero‐Martínez, Lila, & Moya‐Albiol, ), and SBIP + IMP demonstrates higher efficacy than SBIP in producing changes in IPV perpetrators, with the former group showing lower self‐reported physical violence and greater reductions in the risk of recidivism assessed by therapists compared to the SBIP group (Lila et al ., ), our initial hypothesis was as follows: (1) SBIP and SBIP + IMP would produce improvements in emotion‐decoding abilities and empathy; and (2) SBIP + IMP, compared to SBIP alone, would be more likely to increase participants’ commitment to the dynamics and activities of the intervention, dedicating more attention and effort to the activities proposed (Lila et al ., ), and thus produce greater improvement in cognitive‐emotional abilities.…”

Validation of the Working Alliance Inventory–Observer Short Version with male intimate partner violence offenders

“…In this regard, our results suggest that a positive bond and agreement on the goals and tasks of the intervention between therapists and participants could facilitate offenders’ motivation to change. Previous studies have proposed that the working alliance between the participant and the therapist is not only able to modify their cognitive processing but also their actions and affective state ( Brown and O’Leary, 2000 , Romero-Martínez et al, 2016 ). In this regard, Brown and O’Leary (2000) found that the working alliance, observationally assessed, was related to a decrease in psychological and physical aggression.…”

Differences in treatment adherence, program completion, and recidivism among batterer subtypes

“…The intervention was developed within the Contexto Program, a psychoeducational and community-based treatment program (mandatory for male abusers) at the Department of Social Psychology, University of Valencia, Spain (see Lila, Oliver, Catalá-Miñana, & Conchell, 2014). The main objective of the program is to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors for IPV, taking into account four levels of analysis: individual, interpersonal, situational, and macrosocial (Catalá-Miñana, Lila, & Oliver, 2013;Gracia, López-Quilez, Marco, Lladosa, & Lila, 2015;Lila, Gracia, & Herrero, 2012;Lila, Gracia, & Murgui, 2013;Rodríguez, Gracia, & Lila, 2016;Romero-Martínez, Lila, & Moya-Albiol, 2016;Vargas, Lila, & Catalá-Miñana, 2015). The sociodemographic characteristics of the sample were as follows: average age was 39.54 years (SD = 11.23); the average annual income was between 6,000 and 12,000 euros.…”